The British actor plays the Duke of Buckingham in the forthcoming movie and admits he loved the outrageous outfits and elaborate hairstyle the part required and he kept thinking he was the musician's alter-ego Ziggy Stardust on set.

He said: "I didn't like the idea of wearing a wig, but I wanted to have a hairstyle that would lend itself to the period. I love Teddy Boys, so that's where the quiff came from. My hair was brushed up and sprayed.

"Paul [W.S. Anderson, director] wanted us to play the characters as rock stars of our generation, and mine was Bowie. Buckingham has the swagger of Ziggy Stardust and wears outrageous costumes. In my opinion, you have to own those costumes, otherwise they wear you - and then you run the risk of looking like a big tomato."

Orlando - who is married to model Miranda Kerr - describes his character as like a "petulant child" but he loved the extravagances that came with playing the wealthy duke.

He told Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Buckingham is a bit like a petulant child, but he also has a lot of humour. He's the king's favourite, so he has the power to pull a sword and behave as he pleases.

"He has all the spoils that come with stature, so we see him arriving in a giant Airship, which was really fun - even though it was 100 years too early for airships. You have to remember this is modern retelling of a classic."